There is more to Beaulieu than the acclaimed motor museum. The footprint of the Cistercian Abbey church can still be seen next to the cloister and chapter house. One can only wonder what the building would have been like. One of only four monastic buildings to survive in tact is the Refectory which became Beaulieu Parish Church.
Another building that survived in tact is the Domus. This was used as the living quarters for the lay brothers.
The Palace House, which is one of the best stately homes that I have visited houses houses a fine portrait gallery and retains its original medieval features.
Just a short walk from the house is the Victorian’s garden which was created as a tribute to the Victorians’ immense contribution to our knowledge of plants and our enjoyment of gardens.
Within the garden is a sundial that was commissioned to mark the 50th birthday of Lord Montagu’s eldest son and his wife Ailsa, in 2011.
On significant dates, the shadow of the sphere will track along one of the curves crossing the hour lines. The dates are:
Winter solstice (purple), Ailsa Montagu’s birthday on 9th November (blue), Ralph Montagu’s birthday on 13th March (red), their wedding anniversary on 16th April (gold) and Summer solstice (green).
The sundial does not always agree with the clock. There are three reasons for this. First, Longitude: the sun takes four minutes to pass over one degree of longitude. Beaulieu is 1 deg 27′ West of the Greenwich meridian. The difference in longitude between Beaulieu and Greenwich makes a sundial at Beaulieu 5 minutes and 48 seconds slow to one at Greenwich. Second, the elliptical orbit of the earth round the sun and the tilt on the earth’s axis cause slight variations in the day length. This effect is known as the equation of Time and has a different value each day which makes the sundial up to 16 minutes fast for 15 minutes slow depending on the time of year. Finally, in summer clocks go forward an hour but sundials do not. The combined effects of the Equation of Time and longitude mean that the sundial at Beaulieu will be a maximum of 10 minutes fast in November and 20 minutes slow to the clock in February. The sundial will agree with Greenwich Mean Time in mid-September and mid-December.*
*from an information board next to the sundial
Hi Cherie, what an intersting buildung, I wasn’t in this corner of Britain. Thank you!
Sigrun
It is a really interesting place to visit. I am glad you enjoyed your virtual visit.
Such an interesting set of pictures here, Cherie, and not an old car in sight!
I thought perhaps we had had enough of old cars for a while
What a magnificent place to visit, Cherry! And the sundial…what a tribute to the son…and sun! I especially like the explanation of how/why the dial may not always accurately sync with the clock. How fun.
It is lovely isn’t it? It captured my eye as soon as I saw. I found the information quite fascinating.
I love old buildings, gardens and sundials so this would be a win-win-win for me to visit!!
I am sure you would love it
There most certainly is more than a motor museum – The Palace House for a start.
Yes as I said in the post it is one of the best stately homes that I have visited
They just don’t make houses like that anymore,do they? Gorgeous property and fascinating article. Thank you.
It is fabulous inside